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Top-performing companies recognize not only the importance of their people but also the need to provide the right skills to enable their employees. Seventy-one percent of CEOs surveyed cited human capital, ahead of products, customer relationships and brands, as the leading source of sustained economic value, according to a recent study from IBM. Eighty-four percent of employees in best-performing organizations are receiving the training they need, compared with 16 percent in the worst-performing companies.

Today more than ever, companies need to maximize their human capital by providing the right skills at the right time for the right people. According to the same “The Value of Training” study, more than 65 percent of global leaders cite “talent and leadership shortages” as their number one business challenge, and with some skill areas, a full 90 percent of organizations do not have all the skills they need to be successful. Many companies do not properly invest in an employee skill development plan and provide the training their employees need for success.

The benefits of investing in skill development

Investing in professional development for your staff can lead to greater job satisfaction and employee retention — and it helps all stakeholders win. Per the same “Value of Training” study, objectives will be met 90 percent more often by increasing team skills, and workers who receive professional training are less likely to seek other opportunities.

Are you prioritizing and investing in your organizational human capital as needed?

Are you training your employees?

Are you providing your workforce the right tools to enable them to deliver the best user experience possible?

Human capital development is your greatest asset

When products, services and knowledge are commoditized, there’s no barrier to entry, so competition explodes. Meaningful differentiation gets harder to achieve, while the market evolves so quickly you can barely keep up with the changes. At this point, many organizations pour their effort into branding, hoping to stand out in an overcrowded environment. But the best source of differentiation for a company remains its people. If all employees believe in what they’re doing, the customer experience will be worth more than a hundred brand consultants.

The world does not stand still, and neither do we. Analytics, mobile, cloud, AI, storage and other new-generation technologies are converging, and the transformation they are unleashing is accelerating. By attending IBM Systems Technical University (TechU) events, you can harness the power of IBM solutions to drive business success. Join me this fall in Hollywood, Florida, as I kick off our next two IBM TechU conferences.

The scoop on TechU Hollywood

With a 20-plus year legacy of delivering technical training, IBM TechU events are the place to grow your skills. Each planned TechU offers hundreds of sessions, hands-on labs and a Solution Center where you can learn from IBM Distinguished Engineers, developers or product experts — the A-team of the IBM Systems community. You can take your skills to the next level or acquire new ones. Take your pick!

• IBM TechU, October 8–12, features deep dive training on IBM Z and Storage for Z.
• IBM TechU, October 15–19, delivers in-depth skill building across the IBM Power Systems portfolio and IBM Storage.

Check out this video for a sneak peek of what to expect at IBM TechU in Hollywood.

Ensure that your human capital development is effective, and that it is directly contributing to your organization’s overall success. Get the latest insights and skills from technology leaders and practitioners at IBM TechU Hollywood this October. Join me and enroll today! Plan the sessions you’ll be attending, learn new things and meet new people. Time is finite — attend IBM TechU this fall.

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